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Chapters (48)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. START READING
  6. I
  7. CHAPTER 1
  8. CHAPTER 2
  9. CHAPTER 3
  10. CHAPTER 4
  11. CHAPTER 5
  12. CHAPTER 6
  13. CHAPTER 7
  14. CHAPTER 8
  15. CHAPTER 9
  16. CHAPTER 10
  17. CHAPTER 11
  18. CHAPTER 12
  19. CHAPTER 13
  20. II
  21. CHAPTER 14
  22. CHAPTER 15
  23. CHAPTER 16
  24. CHAPTER 17
  25. CHAPTER 18
  26. CHAPTER 19
  27. CHAPTER 20
  28. CHAPTER 21
  29. CHAPTER 22
  30. CHAPTER 23
  31. CHAPTER 24
  32. CHAPTER 25
  33. CHAPTER 26
  34. CHAPTER 27
  35. III
  36. CHAPTER 28
  37. CHAPTER 29
  38. CHAPTER 30
  39. CHAPTER 31
  40. CHAPTER 32
  41. CHAPTER 33
  42. CHAPTER 34
  43. CHAPTER 35
  44. CHAPTER 36
  45. CHAPTER 37
  46. EPILOGUE
  47. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  48. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“I was working on another poem today,” Karly went on.

“That’s great.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, because we’re not poor enough, I want to get a useless graduate degree and write poetry. I haven’t shown any of them to my dad yet. He keeps pestering me, but I’m not ready. They’re really dark. I don’t know where any of it comes from. I’m so happy with my life, but I start writing, and it all comes out like a nightmare.”

“I think that’s the sign of a deep soul.”

“Oh, yeah, right,” she replied, but she had the twinkle that told me she liked hearing that.

“Can I see what you wrote?”

“Sure. I’ll read it to you later when we’re in bed.”

I covered my disappointment, because I wouldn’t be here for that. “Okay.”

“Would you get me a cup of tea, sweetheart?”

“Of course.”

I stood up from the chair. I wanted nothing more than to spend the evening like this, in the dim glow, with music playing. Then I would put my daughter in her crib and go to bed with my wife. My hunger to stay in this life overwhelmed me, but all good things had to end. Like a jumper on a bridge railing, I finally took the plunge, but I regretted it as soon as I fell.

“I think I’ll stretch my legs outside,” I told her. “I need to clear my head.”

“Are you all right?”

“Fine. I just want to get some air. Do you mind? Are you okay here?”

“I don’t mind, but please stay out of the park. Did you hear about that woman disappearing? I don’t like you walking home that way at night. I know the park is a shortcut, but I want you to stay on Foster.”

“Okay. Whatever you want.”

I went into the kitchen to make her tea. I knew the kind Karly liked: mandarin orange with a hint of cinnamon. It was too sweet for me, but she loved it. I could do this one last thing for her, but then I had to go. While the water boiled in a mug in the microwave, I got myself ready. I grabbed a light jacket from a hook near the back door, and I slipped it on.

Then I took a long, sharp knife from the butcher block on the counter and tucked it into the jacket pocket.

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 31